Prior art electrical connectors shown in FIGS. 6-8 comprise a connector housing 1 and a plurality of contacts 5, which are retained inside passageways 2 formed inside the housing 1. The contacts 5 include a receptacle portion 9 for electrical engagement with a pin, a connecting portion 7 to which the end of an electrical wire is connected and a clamp 8 to clamp onto the wire. The contact assembly is composed of a plurality of the contacts 5 held in a row by carriers 6. FIG. 6 shows each of the contacts 5 of the contact assembly being partly inserted in the passageways 2 of the connector housing 1, and FIG. 7A is a cross-sectional view showing the connector, along the line VII--VII of FIG. 6. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7A, at this stage, only the receptacle portion 9 of each contact 5 is inserted in the respective passageway 2, and the connecting portion 7 and clamp 8 are exposed outside the housing 1. At this time, the resilient latching member 10 formed on each contact 5 has its free end projecting inside the temporary holding aperture 4 and retains the contact 5 at this position.
In connecting the electrical wire A to the contact 5, the wire is press-fitted into slots of the connecting portion 7 so that an electrical wire is electrically connected with the connecting portion and retained therein. Next, the clamp 8 is bent over and around the insulation of wire A, and thus the wire A is securely retained in the contact 5 by this clamp 8. Each contact 5 is then completely inserted inside its respective passageway 2 as shown in FIG. 7B whereafter carriers 6 are removed. At this time, the free end of the resilient latching member 10 projects inside a latching aperture 3 formed in the housing 1 and engages with the housing 1, retaining the contacts 5 in position in housing 1. The assembled connector is matable with a complementary electrical connector so that the pins thereof inserted through the insertion apertures 1a formed at the front face of the housing 1 engage with the receptacle portions 9 of the contacts 5, and accordingly, electrically connect both connectors.
When using the above-mentioned connector, a pulling force may be applied to the wire A connected to the contact 5, and a problem arises in that the resilient latching member 10 may be bent by this pulling force and projected outward from the latching aperture 3.
In view of this problem, a connector having a contact as shown in FIG. 8 has been proposed. The connector 1 includes the contact 5 with a latching member 10 having bifurcated end portions, one end portion 10a extending into the latching aperture 3, and the other end portion 10b being disposed inside the passageway 2. Thus, the contact 5 is firmly retained in the passageway by the engagement of the end portions 10a and 10b with the housing when a pulling force is exerted on the wire connected to the contact 5. Also, the end portion 10a of latching member 10 is prevented from projecting beyond the outside surface of the housing when subjected to a certain amount of pulling force. However, when the wire is subjected to a strong pulling force, the end portion 10a cannot be prevented from projecting further outward from the outside surface of the housing because of the bending of the end portions. Moreover, in order to bifurcate the tip of the latching member, the latching member must be made wider and both bifurcated end portions must be provided with a specified strength. Therefore, when the contact is inserted in the passageway, a stronger insertion force is required to deform the latching member, and thus a problem arises in that a stronger force is required to insert the contact. Also, since the bending of the bifurcated portions must be precise, a problem arises in that the control of the bending may cause difficulties during manufacturing.